A garden blog from Two Wests and Elliott. Visit our site today http://www.twowests.co.uk/

Monthly Archives: March 2015

Propagating is a great way to increase your plant stock by taking cuttings from successful plants and using them to grow new shoots and create a new plant. The best part is that propagating is free – all you need is the equipment to get started which you can find at Two Wests.

Depending on how much of a seasoned gardener you are you may already have the propagating trays, covers and garden supplies necessary to begin, but just in case you don’t then head over to Two Wests to browse our range of propagators.

Propagating is the process of using cuttings of a current plant to create more plants for your garden and is popular practice amongst gardeners, especially those who like to grow veg. Propagating is a great way to maintain your garden’s image and quickly expand it for free without having to buy more seeds or small plants.

It also helps you choose the strongest plants or the most fruitful. For a veg-grower, using a propagator to grow more versions of the highest-yeilding plant from the previous season is an effective way to increase the yield of your crop if the conditions are similar. It works the same with fruit, flowers or any other plant you are attempting to grow: just make sure you take your clippings from a strong plant to begin with.

A propagator is a useful tool that should be in every gardener’s arsenal. There are a range available, including a dedicated propagating bench or propagating tray that can be powered with electricity or you can even use hydroponics – the art of growing plants in a nutrient-rich chemical solution without water.

The art of propagating can take a while to learn as you need to know when the best time to plant your seeds are. For example if you are wanting to grow squashes like pumpkins then you need to prepare your seed trays three weeks before the last spring frost, but if you want more delicate plants like peppers you need to plant them six weeks before.

This is mostly trial and error but there is plenty of advice out there for help on when to get your propagating tray started. When you do know the appropriate times it is a good idea to write them in a calendar or diary so you will be able to remember for next year – otherwise you’ll have to do all the research again!